from the desk of Dr. Terry F Allen

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  • 1. All About Stock Options

    My goal is to give you a basic understanding of what stock options are all about without hopelessly confusing you with unnecessary details. I have read dozens of books on stock options, and even my eyes start glazing over shortly into most of them.

  • 2. Check Out Auto-Trade

    Auto-Trade is a service offered by several on-line brokers. Auto-Trade makes it possible for an investor to carry out an options strategy in his own account without becoming an options guru or making all the trades on his or her own.

  • 3. Never Buy a Mutual Fund

    Never buy a mutual fund unless it is a no-load index fund with the lowest cost structure. (I will tell you where to find it later.)

  • 4. Turbocharge Your IRA

    Most smart people have set up a Roth IRA, 401(k), or other qualified retirement program. For some of them, it may be the only stock market investment they own.

  • 5. Double Your Money the Lazy Way

    In spite of the odds against winning, many people seem to like to invest in individual stocks – sort of like picking horses at the race track.

  • 6. The 10K Strategy

    The 10K Strategy is my favorite investment strategy. I have used it to make an average of over 50% a year for three out of four consecutive years. I have now added a twist to the strategy so that annual returns might be less than those years but there should be a much higher likelihood of its succeeding.

  • 7. Trading ETF Options

    Exchange-Traded Funds, or ETFs, are index funds that trade just like stocks on major stock exchanges. All the major stock indexes have ETFs based on them, including: Dow Jones Industrial Average (DIA), Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (SPX), and Nasdaq 100 Composite (QQQQ).

  • 8. Other Stock Option Resources

    Learn about some of my favorite stock option resources.

Elevator Pitch Story of Terry’s Tips

Terry Allen started the Terry’s Tips in 2001 as an educational newsletter  where various options strategies were tested in real time with real dollars. As many as eight portfolios were simultaneously carried out, each one in a separate brokerage account and paying full commissions. Subscribers saw every trade in every portfolio, and could follow one or more of the strategies in their own accounts, either on their own or through an auto-trade service offered by several brokers where all the portfolio trades were duplicated in their own accounts.

Over the years, many of these strategies enjoyed consistent gains for long stretches of time, only to see them all disappear in one disastrous day or week.  One strategy, however, seemed to out-perform all the other strategies over the long run.  We had dubbed it the 10K Strategy (because it was neither a sprint or a marathon, but something in between).

For the past five years ending through 2021, the 10K Strategy has notched average annual gains of over 60% in our actual portfolios after paying all the commissions.

For the first five months of 2022, extreme volatility came along (something that this strategy does not like), and we lowered our risk by retaining about half our portfolios in cash.  The market was down badly (S&P 500 off over 18%, the Nasdaq down 22%) but the composite 10K Strategy portfolios gained over 10% over these five months. This works out to a 20%+ gain based our amount at risk.

The 10K Strategy is sort of like writing calls, but on steroids.  Instead of buying stock and selling calls against your shares, we buy longer-term options (both puts and calls) which decay at a much slower rate than the shorter-term (usually weekly) options that we sell.  Since these longer-term options cost a fraction of what the stock would cost, the potential return on investment is considerably higher with this options strategy.

The key to the strategy is the difference between the decay rates of the long and short options.  The major challenge is managing risk by selecting strike prices both above and below the stock price, and balancing the risk profile of the positions on a daily basis.

Unlike owning stock, longer-term options are deteriorating assets, just like the shorter-term options that we sell.  Maintaining a comfortable risk profile requires nimble trading and balancing the positions essentially every working day or week. 

In short, it takes a lot of work. For this reason, most Terry’s Tips subscribers choose to select one or more of our portfolios (most based on ETF underlyings such as SPY, IWM, QQQ) and sign up for an auto-trade service to have all these trades automatically be made in their accounts. 

A broker you have probably not heard of, Tradier, coupled with a Toronto-based broker called Global AutoTrade, performs this auto-trade service for a flat commission fee of only $10 per month for our subscribers, saving them hundreds if not thousands of commission dollars each year.

Who is Terry Allen? Terry earned his MBA at the Harvard Business School and eleven years later, completed all the requirements except the dissertation for a Doctorate in Business Administration at the University of Virginia. As part of his academic work, he created a statistical model which calculated the theoretical value of any option based on several measurable variables.  The options market was just getting established, and option prices were extremely inefficient (either too-high or too-low).   

At this point, he dropped out of school and got a seat on the Chicago Board of Options and traded as a market maker on the floor of the exchange. His model enabled him to make extraordinary gains for several months until two professors at the University of Chicago published a similar model (only one variable not in Terry’s model).  This model, called the Black-Scholes model, (later to earn these professors a Nobel Prize), gave every trader the same advantage that Terry had enjoyed, and his extraordinary earnings were whittled away.

He returned to Virginia to complete his Doctorate, but was hopelessly addicted to options trading which he has continued to do virtually every day the market has been open ever since.  Options trading has been quite profitable for him, and enabled him to give away millions of dollars to charitable causes in his home state of Vermont, including building a large outdoor swimming pool for the Burlington Boys and Girls Club and giving away hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship aid to first-in-family college students at Champlain College where he served as a trustee for eleven years.

For nearly two decades, Terry has carried out personally or managed the portfolio trades of the Terry’s Tips portfolios.  In 2019, he brought in another (younger) experienced trader to manage these portfolios using the 10K Strategy, and the recent successful results are largely due to the efforts of his associate who totally understands the trading rules developed over the years at Terry’s Tips.

How to carry out the 10K Strategy: We have published a White Paper which spells out the precise Trading Rules for carrying out the 10K Strategy.  This White Paper is delivered to each new Terry’s Tips subscriber at the outset of his or her subscription.  Many subscribers sign up for a single month and learn all these Trading Rules, and watch the portfolios evolve each week for a month.  Then they cancel and carry it out on their own using an underlying that they like (any stock or ETF which trades options can be used as an underlying security).  That is fine with us.

Other subscribers realize the volume of effort involved in carrying out this strategy, and they continue on with us (often for many years) using an auto-trade service provided by some brokers, including Tradier.  This is even finer with us.

TERRY’S TIPS STOCK OPTIONS TRADING BLOG

September 25, 2023

September 25, 2023

Cold and Soggy

There were a few interesting earnings announcements this week, even though we’re in the quiet period for earnings reports (things start to ramp up again in three weeks). In fact, I had three bearish plays to choose from. That’s a good thing since we currently have three bullish and three bearish trades open, and I feel like the bears need a little more weight after the past week’s Fed-infected price action.

The trade this week is on prepared-food giant General Mills (GIS), which owns several iconic cereal brands along with such names as Betty Crocker, Blue Buffalo, Pillsbury, Progresso, Green Giant and Yoplait. GIS reported earnings numbers on Wednesday before the open that were filled with a lot of “buts.” Sales increased 4% due to higher prices, but volume was lower. Net income beat the consensus expectation but fell 18% from a year ago. GIS executives are bullish on their pet food segment but sales for the quarter were flat. Moreover, some analysts feel that consumers are reaching their limit on rising food costs. And GIS’s CFO said that the company’s operating profit margin will not improve this year.

All in all, it was not a great report, which is perhaps why the stock was hit with a few price target cuts. At least there were no ratings downgrades. Analysts on the whole are neutral toward the stock, while the average target price is in the $70-75 range compared to Friday’s close near $65.

Perhaps analysts would be a bit more skeptical if they took a quick glance at GIS’s chart, which shows the stock plunging 30% in the past four months. This descent has been expertly guided by the 20-day moving average, a trendline the stock has closed above just four times since mid-May. This resistance was evident the two days after earnings this week, when the shares failed to pierce the 20-day with early rallies. Note that the short call strike of our spread sits above this trendline.

If you agree that the stock will continue its downtrend after an uninspiring earnings report and remain below its 20-day moving average (blue line), consider the following credit spread trade that relies on GIS staying below $67.50 (red line) through expiration in 8 weeks:

Buy to Open the GIS 17 Nov 70 call (GIS231117C70)
Sell to Open the GIS 17 Nov 67.5 call (GIS231117C67.5) for a credit of $0.45 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.05 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Friday’s $64.82 close.  Unless GIS falls sharply at the open on Monday, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $43.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $200, making your net investment $156.30 per spread ($200 – $43.70). If GIS closes below $67.50 on Nov. 17, the options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 28% ($43.70/$156.30).  

September 11, 2023

September 12, 2023

Health Bear … Sort Of

With no notable earnings reports this week, we’re turning to an ETF that’s done little of late. It’s the SPDR Health Care ETF (XLV), which holds such heavyweights as UnitedHealth Group (UNH), Eli Lilly (LLY), Merck (MRK), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Amgen (AMGN) among its top 10 holdings. This trade is a bearish credit spread, though I’m not particularly bearish on the sector. I’m not bullish, either. But that’s the beauty of credit spreads. You can be more neutral than directional and still collect a maximum profit so long as the short strike remains out of the money. It’s a forgiving strategy that caters to those who don’t have a strong directional bias.

I’m using a bearish call spread for this trade because the overhead 135 level has proven difficult for XLV to overcome throughout most of 2023. In fact, the ETF has closed above this mark only a handful of times since January. Recent attempts to take out 135 were rejected in April, August and July.

Although XLV currently sits below all its major moving averages, it hasn’t respected these trendlines for support or resistance for much of the year. So, even though the 20-day, 50-day and 200-day moving averages lie between the current XLV price and the 135 level, I’m not relying on their potential for resistance. This is more about the 135 level acting as a top in recent months.

Note that this trade extends into the start of the next earnings season. In fact, four of XLV’s top 10 holdings, including UNH and JNJ, report before the spread expires on Oct. 20. However, given XLV’s performance this year (down around 3%) and the fact that it’s gone nowhere for seven months, I’m not expecting earnings from a few XLV names to give the ETF a huge shot in the arm prior to expiration.

If you agree that XLV will continue its “meh” performance, consider the following credit spread trade that relies on XLV staying below $135 (blue line) through expiration in 6 weeks:

Buy to Open the XLV 20 Oct 137 call (XLV231020C137)
Sell to Open the XLV 20 Oct 135 call (XLV231020C135) for a credit of $0.40 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.04 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Friday’s $132.06 close.  Unless XLV sinks sharply at the open on Monday, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $38.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $200, making your net investment $161.30 per spread ($200 – $38.70). If XLV closes below $135 on Oct. 20, the options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 24% ($38.70/$161.30).  

**We continue to beat the market in 2023. Don’t miss out on the profits … now you can save more than 50% on a monthly subscription to Terry’s Tips. Just Click Here, select Sign Up Now and use Coupon Code D21M to start a monthly subscription to Terry’s Tips for half off.**

September 5, 2023

September 5, 2023

With the market throwing off bullish vibes this week, we’re going with another bullish trade on one of the few notable names that reported earnings this week: athletic apparel maker Lululemon Athletica (LULU). The company reported solid numbers after the bell on Thursday, including an 18% revenue jump that surpassed the analyst estimate. Earnings also handily beat expectations. To complete the trifecta, full-year revenue and earnings guidance came in above the analyst estimate.

Analysts were seemingly thrilled with the numbers, as a slew of price target increases poured in. But many raised the price by only a few dollars, which is meaningless for a $400 stock. After the flurry, the new average target price stands only around 3% above Friday’s close. And there were no ratings changes, leaving the current consensus in the buy/outperform category.

So, while analysts appear bullish, nobody seems willing to bet the mortgage payment on LULU. I’m fine with that, however, as I hesitate to jump on a bandwagon that’s already full. I like to see some room for upgrades and target price increases.

Traders apparently thought differently, pushing LULU up 6% on Friday to an 18-month high. It also propelled the stock above a trading range that has captured most of the price moves of the past five months. Note in the chart how the 20-day and 50-day moving averages have combined forces near the 380 level. I expect these trendlines to rise above the top of the range around $385 within the next week or two. That should provide a multi-layered tier of support to keep the short put of our spread out of the money.

The other technical driver of this trade is the fact that LULU tends to stay flat for several weeks after earnings. That is, the stock doesn’t tend to stray too far from its initial post-earnings move. Given that we have around a 5% cushion combined with the trading range and potential trendline support, I like the odds of LULU staying above the key $385 mark through expiration.

If you agree that the stock will respect the top of its trading range, consider the following credit spread trade that relies on LULU staying above $385 (green line) through expiration in 6 weeks:

Buy to Open the LULU 13 Oct 380 put (LULU231013P380)
Sell to Open the LULU 13 Oct 385 put (LULU231013P385) for a credit of $1.05 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.02 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Friday’s $404.19 close.  Unless LULU surges at the open on Tuesday, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $103.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $500, making your net investment $396.30 per spread ($500 – $103.70). If LULU closes above $385 on Oct. 13, the options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 26% ($103.70/$396.30).  

**You can save more than 50% on a monthly subscription to Terry’s Tips. Just Click Here, select Sign Up Now and use Coupon Code D21M to start a monthly subscription to Terry’s Tips for half off.**

Making 36%

Making 36% – A Duffer's Guide to Breaking Par in the Market Every Year in Good Years and Bad

This digital book may not improve your golf game, but it might change your financial situation so that you will have more time for the greens and fairways (and sometimes the woods).

Learn why Dr. Allen believes that the 10K Strategy is less risky than owning stocks or mutual funds, and why it is especially appropriate for your IRA.

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